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US Federal Courts

News & analysis of decisions from America’s lower courts.

LGBTQ
A federal court took 2 years to figure out that gay people have First Amendment rightsA federal court took 2 years to figure out that gay people have First Amendment rights
LGBTQ

The court finally lifted a two-year ban on drag performances.

By Ian Millhiser
Donald Trump
Trump’s new plan for retribution against Democrats, explainedTrump’s new plan for retribution against Democrats, explained
Donald Trump

The fight over Trump’s most unqualified prosecutor is escalating quickly.

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
The lawsuit seeking to kill Trump’s tariffs is backThe lawsuit seeking to kill Trump’s tariffs is back
Supreme Court

If the president loses this case, he will go to the Supreme Court to bail him out again.

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
The conservative case against Trump’s worst judicial nomineeThe conservative case against Trump’s worst judicial nominee
Supreme Court

Senate Republicans are taking an enormous risk with the federal bench right now.

By Ian Millhiser
Today, Explained podcast
Why Donald Trump soured on some of his own judgesWhy Donald Trump soured on some of his own judges
Podcast
Today, Explained podcast

David French on Donald Trump’s breakup with the Federalist Society.

By Miles Bryan and Sean Rameswaram
Donald Trump
A federal court’s novel proposal to rein in Trump’s power grabA federal court’s novel proposal to rein in Trump’s power grab
Donald Trump

Trump shut down the agency that protects civil servants from illegal firings. An appeals court has a plan to fix that.

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
Trump just threw one of his most powerful allies under the busTrump just threw one of his most powerful allies under the bus
Supreme Court

Maybe it’s unwise to pick a fight with the folks who control the Supreme Court?

By Ian Millhiser
Donald Trump
The sweeping federal court order blocking Trump’s tariffs, explainedThe sweeping federal court order blocking Trump’s tariffs, explained
Donald Trump

If this decision stands on appeal, it’s a big loss for Trump that will make it difficult for his trade war to continue.

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
The Federalist Society is surprisingly ambivalent about TrumpThe Federalist Society is surprisingly ambivalent about Trump
Supreme Court

America’s most powerful legal organization confronts Trump’s incompetence.

By Ian Millhiser
Economy
A federal court is about to decide whether to strike down Trump’s tariffsA federal court is about to decide whether to strike down Trump’s tariffs
Economy

We’re about to get our first window into whether the judiciary will allow Trump’s trade war to continue.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
Trump is losingTrump is losing
Politics

His administration is great at breaking things — but it’s failing in its bigger goal.

By Zack Beauchamp
Politics
The lawsuits blocking Trump’s agenda, explained in 2 chartsThe lawsuits blocking Trump’s agenda, explained in 2 charts
Politics

The courts are acting as a check on executive power. Will it last?

By Nicole Narea
Donald Trump
What can be done if Trump is openly defying the courts?What can be done if Trump is openly defying the courts?
Donald Trump

Not much, at least not within the legal system.

By Ian Millhiser
How Donald Trump is remaking America
The arrest of a pro-Palestinian immigrant should worry every AmericanThe arrest of a pro-Palestinian immigrant should worry every American
How Donald Trump is remaking America

You don’t have to agree with Mahmoud Khalil to care about what happens to him.

By Nicole Narea
US Federal Courts
Trump is shredding the First Amendment under the guise of “national security”Trump is shredding the First Amendment under the guise of “national security”
US Federal Courts

Trump’s retribution campaign is now targeting prominent Democratic lawyers — with broad implications for every American.

By Nicole Narea
Trump 2.0, explained
Elon Musk’s plans for mass government firings just hit a legal roadblockElon Musk’s plans for mass government firings just hit a legal roadblock
Trump 2.0, explained

Here’s what’s next for federal workers.

By Nicole Narea
Elon Musk
The lawsuit seeking to kick Elon Musk out of government, explainedThe lawsuit seeking to kick Elon Musk out of government, explained
Elon Musk

The lawsuit asks a very simple question: Who appointed Musk, and what, exactly, does he do?

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
How to make sense of all the court orders against Donald TrumpHow to make sense of all the court orders against Donald Trump
Supreme Court

Restraining orders? Injunctions? What do all the court orders against Trump mean?

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
Don’t expect the courts to save us from Donald TrumpDon’t expect the courts to save us from Donald Trump
Supreme Court

Courts are inherently reactive institutions. Trump always gets the first move.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
The anti-Trump lawsuits are hereThe anti-Trump lawsuits are here
Politics

The courts are the biggest remaining impediment to Trump’s power grab.

By Patrick Reis
Politics
Are North Carolina Republicans trying to steal a state supreme court seat?Are North Carolina Republicans trying to steal a state supreme court seat?
Politics

Allison Riggs won the seat by 734 votes, but her opponent is trying to invalidate 60,000.

By Ellen Ioanes
Supreme Court
Biden’s DOJ just asked the Supreme Court to do a huge favor for Donald TrumpBiden’s DOJ just asked the Supreme Court to do a huge favor for Donald Trump
Supreme Court

The Court has a chance to resolve a years-long fight over “nationwide injunctions,” just days before Trump takes office.

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
Trump’s recess appointments, explainedTrump’s recess appointments, explained
Politics

The change would be a major blow to the system of checks and balances.

By Ellen Ioanes
2024 Elections
The Trumpiest judges in America want to toss out thousands of lawfully cast ballotsThe Trumpiest judges in America want to toss out thousands of lawfully cast ballots
2024 Elections

It’s probably not going to work, though.

By Ian Millhiser
America’s faultlines
The nightmare facing Democrats, even if Harris winsThe nightmare facing Democrats, even if Harris wins
America’s faultlines

If Harris wins, the Republican Party will almost certainly be able to veto anything she does, thanks to our broken Constitution.

By Ian Millhiser
America’s faultlines
How would a second Trump presidency change America’s courts?How would a second Trump presidency change America’s courts?
America’s faultlines

There’s a real risk Trump would fill the courts with MAGA nihilists.

By Ian Millhiser
Policy
Biden’s plan to shield undocumented spouses of Americans is on hold. Here’s what to know.Biden’s plan to shield undocumented spouses of Americans is on hold. Here’s what to know.
Policy

Will the biggest program to legalize undocumented immigrants in a decade survive a court challenge?

By Nicole Narea
Big Tech
A historic ruling against Google could change the internet as we know itA historic ruling against Google could change the internet as we know it
Big Tech

A new era for search — and regulation of Big Tech — could be imminent.

By Nicole Narea
Supreme Court
Could Republicans sue to keep Biden on the ballot?Could Republicans sue to keep Biden on the ballot?
Supreme Court

Speaker Mike Johnson’s threat to challenge Vice President Harris’s nomination in court should be frivolous. But who knows with this Supreme Court?

By Ian Millhiser
Politics
Biden is betting on impossible promises to progressivesBiden is betting on impossible promises to progressives
Politics

Biden is trying to reinvigorate his candidacy by pushing progressive priorities.

By Nicole Narea
Politics
A right-wing judge just threw out a case against Trump in a brazen abuse of powerA right-wing judge just threw out a case against Trump in a brazen abuse of power
Politics

The classified documents case against Trump hits another major setback before the 2024 election.

By Nicole Narea
Media
Julian Assange’s release is still a lose-lose for press freedomJulian Assange’s release is still a lose-lose for press freedom
Media

The Wikileaks founder will plead guilty to violating the Espionage Act for publishing leaks about the Iraq War.

By Ellen Ioanes
What two years without Roe looks like, in 8 charts
Explainers

Americans are confronting a whole new reality of patchwork abortion access after the Dobbs decision.

By Nicole Narea
Supreme Court
The 9 worst court decisions since Trump remade the federal judiciaryThe 9 worst court decisions since Trump remade the federal judiciary
Supreme Court

This is what happens after four years under an insurrectionist president. It will get much worse if he gets eight.

By Ian Millhiser
Business & Finance
How Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentence stacks up against the century’s biggest fraudstersHow Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentence stacks up against the century’s biggest fraudsters
Business & Finance

SBF vs. Bernie Madoff, Elizabeth Holmes, Allen Stanford, and Jeffrey Skilling.

By Nicole Narea
Technology
Apple is facing a new antitrust lawsuit that could dethrone the iPhoneApple is facing a new antitrust lawsuit that could dethrone the iPhone
Technology

Does Apple have a monopoly on smartphones? The Justice Department thinks so.

By Nicole Narea
Supreme Court
Brett Kavanaugh rides to the Biden administration’s defense in a big First Amendment caseBrett Kavanaugh rides to the Biden administration’s defense in a big First Amendment case
Supreme Court

The Supreme Court’s center right appears increasingly frustrated with the judiciary’s far right.

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
Republicans will no longer get to handpick their judges when they sue BidenRepublicans will no longer get to handpick their judges when they sue Biden
Supreme Court

The federal judiciary’s new rules target “judge shopping.” That’s terrible news for Matthew Kacsmaryk and other partisan judges.

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
The Fifth Circuit just made it even more dangerous to be pregnant in a red stateThe Fifth Circuit just made it even more dangerous to be pregnant in a red state
Supreme Court

The Trumpiest court in America just tried to neutralize a federal law requiring most hospitals to provide medically necessary abortions.

By Ian Millhiser
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court will hear its biggest abortion case since it overruled Roe v. WadeThe Supreme Court will hear its biggest abortion case since it overruled Roe v. Wade
Supreme Court

The justices will decide whether to ban mifepristone, a drug used in half of US abortions.

By Ian Millhiser